The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-01-15
ROBB1NG H MAILS.
ROW a ~Post-thficcI Inspector Caught an Of
fetal Who Stole Registered Letters.

by far the largest percentage of mail
thieves are among the postmasters,
their assistants and the Star Route mes.
sengers. The way they are caught is
sometimes very interesting, as the fol-
lowing case, told to a correspondent by
Special Agent John NJ. Crowell, will
show:
Some years ago numerous deprcda-
tons on registered mail matter were
committed in the neighborhood Of
Vienna or Minden, La. Registered let.
tiers would turn up with money contents
either short or totally lacking. The
complaints came from half a dozen
little towns, and the department soon
centered the mischief at the distribut.
ing point where all the mails ccncen-
trated. Crowe!l was detailed for the
work, and he arrived on the scene as
a stranger who was looking
around to buy a farm. He was nearly
worried to death practicing this racket,
as about one hundred of the adjoining
farmers wished to sell. Crcwcll quietly
watched. He first placed the messenger
who carried the pouches to the railway
station under surveillance, but soon
was intuitively satisfied that he was not
the man. Then he reasoned thatit must
be the postmaster, and he gave that
worthy his attention. Casually he be-
came acquainted with him. loafed
around the Office. but saw nothing which
his trained eye thought suspicious.
Peep-holes We're utilized when the post
master was busy at night, but Crowell's
efforts were unrewarded. In the mean
time the robberies continued, ever
while Crowell was onEthe watch. The
department sent him the envelope
to examine, and suddenly he saw
how the thing was done. Many
little post-otfices have no postmark
stamp. but simply cancel the stamp and
write the post-otlice and date in ink.
Crowell suddenly remembered that all
the losses were from offices of this kind.
oulc VI HIS Ilull HoN, HIS otINtllidllCc
was rcdoubled. In studying the post
masters private habits, he found that
he was fond of hunting, and every
evening or two would take his gun and
have a stroll. Sometimes he brought
back a bird or two or a squirrel, oftener
nothing. Crowell noticed. also, that he
cvcr went in the same direction, so he
followed him one evening. Dodging
behind trees. lying down behind
stumps, and using every effort TO watch
him and keep himself concealed, he saw
his man go to an old tree. look around,
part some vines and tumble among
them. Soon he went away, and then
Crowell went to the tree. To his graft
t~ication he found inside u hollow, com
ccalcd by the vines, numerous register
envelopes, which 4 close examine
ton proved to be duplicates of the
ones forwarded to him by the depart
ment. Replacing the torn envelopes,
he went back to town and quietly
waited until next evening. Then he
proposed a hunt with the postmaster,
which was accepted. Crowcll tried to
borrow a gun, but ~purposely failed, so
when he met the postmaster he said:
"Never mind. we will use your gun,
shot about
"This was satisfactory, and Crowell
led the way toward the tree, ~skillfnlly,
enough, however. to rouse no suspi-
cions. Nearing the tree Crowell, who
was carrying the gun. suddenly said:
..Whist! Il SQUIRREL and pointed to
the tree. 'Go there and shake those
vines. | saw him run in the hole"
The postmaster, not daring to refuse.
but feeling rather uncomfortable, went
to the vine, shook it and said: "There
is no hole or squirrel here
eyes, there is" said Crowell.
"There's game there. Put you hand ip
the hole"
''What do you mean,' asked tho
frightened man.
II mean that I saw big game 60 in
that hole yesterday evening, and that l
am a post-oflice inspector and have
been hunting that game for three
months. Now haul it out.
The man obeyed, and Crowell said.
referring to his little book while he
held the gun ready: ''Give me No. -"
etc., naming n after the other the
tempered packages. The prisoner
handed each in a dazed way, and Crow.
ell would pleasantly remark as each
was laid down: you owe me ten dol.
lars on that, five dollars on that and
so continued to the last. lie then
marched his prisoner to town. lat
without any apparent surveillance.
H.. .sl,